Terminal connecter for batteries



Dec. 1, 1931- J. L. SOTTIAUX ,8

TERMINAL COIIIIEC'IER FOR BATTERIES Filed May 5, 1929 INVENTOR Jules L.- Enlfiauic ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES JULES L. SOTTIAUX, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS TERMINAL CONNEUIIEB FOR BATTERIES Application filed Kay 8, 1929. Serial No. 360,129.

The present invention relates to improvements in terminal connecters for batteries and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved battery terminal connecter whereby the "cable may be firmly and electrically connected to the connecter without the usual method of soldering the cable to the connecter. i

A further object of the invention is to provide a connecter having locking means for the cable whereby the cable is electrically connected with the connecter.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved battery terminal connecter wherein a bared portion of the cable is effectively sealed against the effect of acids and acid fumes from the battery.

A further object of the invention is to provide a terminal connecter embodying a coupling screw for connecting the cable to the connecter and simultaneously sealing the bared end of the cable against the efi'ect of the battery acids.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view thru the im proved connecter and one end of the cable, prior to coupling the cable to the connecter.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the connecter showing the sleeve or barrel in longitudinal section and the cable connected to the connecter.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the connecter from the cable inserting end of the barrel.

In the drawings, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the connecter body which may be formed of any suitable metal and if so desired be lead coated for protecting the body 5 against the effect of the battery acid. The body 5 is formed with a split ring clamping portion 6 provided with a clamping bolt 7 whereby the clamping portion may be clamped as in the ordinary manner about the post 8 of the battery 9. Formed integral with the clamping portion 6 with its longitudinal axis preferably extending at a right angle to the axis of the clamping ring, is a barrel 10 formed with a longitudinally extending circular cavity or socket 11 opening at the forward end of the barrel.

The socket 11 is formed with an outer bore 12 and an inner bore 14 co-axial with the other bore 12 and which bore 14 is of less diameter than the outer bore 12. Provided in the rear end wall 15 of the barrel is a circular opening 16 of less diameter than the diameter of the inner bore 14 and forming an annular shoulder 17 at the inner end or base of the cavity 11. The opening 16 at its outer end is flared or countersunk as at 18 providing an annular tapering seat 18 flaring toward the rear end of the barrel.

A coupling means is provided for securing the cable 20 in electrical connection with the body 5, and includes a coupling screw 21 preferably in the form of a coach or lag screw provided with a square head 22. The shank portion of the screw 21 is of a length no less than the length of the barrel portion 10 and preferably has its plain shank portion'23 of a diameter equal to the diameter of the circular opening 16. A sealing washer or ring 24 preferably formed from a soft metal such as lead or the like is intended to receive therethru the shank portion of the lag screw 21 and engage the annular seat 18 when the lag screw is threaded into the end of the cable 20.

.The cable 20 is of the usual flexible type embodying stranded wire 30 provided with an insulating covering 32. The inner bore portion 14 is of a'diameter to snugly receive the stranded wire 30 while the outer bore portion 12 is ofa diameter to snugly receive the insulating covering 32.

In attaching the cable to the terminal connecter one end of the cable is skinned for a length substantially equal to the length of the inner bore 14 leaving a portion of the insulation to extend into the outer bore '12. The cable is then inserted into the socket 11 until the bared end of the wire strands abut with the shoulder 17. The lag screw 21, having the sealing ring 24 arranged thereon is then inserted thru the opening 16 and threaded into the wire strands 30. Threading of the screw 21 into the wire 20 forces the bared strands of wire into intimate contact with the wall of the bore 14 and further thread ing of the screw expands the unbared portion of the cable and so expands the cable as to force the insulation 32 into intimate contact with the wall of the outer bore 12. The expanding of the insulating in the bore 12 acts to seal the forward end of the cavity 11 and thus excludes acids and acid fumes from entering the forward end of the barrel portion. Threading of the screw into the cable until the head 22 engages the washer 24, causes the sealing washer to be deformed and crowded into the flaring seat 18 and thus seals the opening 16 against entrance of acids or acid fumes. Thus it will be seen that the bared cable Wire is in electrical contact with the barrel portion at a point intermediate the ends thereof with a seal formed at each end of the barrel'portion for excluding battery acids and acid fumes from contacting with the bared portion of the cable. Thus it will be seen that upon threading of the screw 21 into the end of the cable 20 acts first to expand the bared portion of the cable into firm electrical contact with the intermediate portion of the barrel 10 and further turning of the screw acts to seal each end of the opening thru the barrel by expanding the cable for sealing the forward end of the barrel and sealing the rear end of the barrel by means of the deformable washer 24. i

It is preferred that the rear end of the barrel 10 be slightly rounded so as to form a sharp biting edge 25 against which the sealing washer 24 may be crowded by the screw head 24 for more effectively sealing the opening 16. A right angular edge is also preferably provided at the mouth of the cavity 11 as at 26 and against which the insulation 32 is expanded for more effectively sealing the forward end of the cavity.

From the foregoing it will be observed that an improved construction for terminal connecters has been provided whereby the cable may be effectively connected with the connecter without any soldering operations. It will also be apparent that a novel arrangement has been disclosed whereby the bared end of the cable is effectively protected against the harmful action of the battery acids and acid fumes.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of'invention herein shown and described, Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a terminal connecter for storage batteries, a connecter body including a barrel portion having a socket opening at its for ward end and an opening communicating with the base of the socket and having a seat formed at its outer end, said socket adapted to receive one end of a cable having its end bared for a distance less than the depth of the socket, a sealing ring for engagement upon said seat, and a headed coupling screw extended thru the ring and freely rotatable in said opening to be threaded into the end of the cable for expanding the cable thruout the length of the socket, said head portion of the coupling screw to engage said sealing ring and compress the same upon said seat for sealing the opening thru the rear end of the barrel.

2. In a terminal connecter for storage batteries, a connecter body including a barrel portion provided with a socket opening at the forward end of the barrel and an opening at the rear end of the barrel communicating with the base of the socket and having a flaring outer end, said socket to receive the end portion of an insulated cable havingits end portion bared for a length less than the depth of said socket whereby a portion of the insulating covering for the cable extends into the mouth of the socket, a lag screw having a plain shank portion rotatable in said opening and a threaded shank portion threaded into the end of the cable for expanding the same thruout the depth of the socket into intimate contact with the wall of the socket whereby the insulating covering seals the mouth of the socket, and a sealing washer encircling the shank portion of the lag screw and adapted to be crowded into the flaring end of said opening by the head of the lag screw for sealing the opening thru the rear end of the barrel.

3. In combination, a terminal connecter body including a barrel portion having a socket formed with an outer bore and a reduced inner bore, an opening thru the rear end of the barrel at the base of said socket, a stranded cable having an insulating covering removed from the end of the cable for a length equal to the depth of the inner bore fitting in said socket with the bared cable portion fitting in the inner bore and the insulated portion fitting in said outer bore, a lag screw extended thru said opening at the rear end of the barrel and having a thread ed shank portion threaded into the cable for expanding the bared portion of the cable into intimate contact with the wall of the inner bore and the insulated portion of the cable into intimate contact with the wall of the outer bore, and a sealing ring encircling the shank of the lag screw and compressed by the head thereof for sealing the opening to the rear end of the barrel whereby the bared portion of the cable is sealed against contact from the battery acids.

4. In a terminal connecter for storage batteries, a connecter body including a barrel portion having a socket formed with outer and inner bore portions and with the inner bore portion of les diameter than the outer bore portion, said barrel at its rear end having an opening therethru communicating wit the base of said socket, an insulation covered cable for fitting in said socket and having a bared end portion of a length substantially equal to the depth of the inner bore portion, a lag screw includin a. threaded shank ortion extended thru sald opening for threading into the end of the cable for expanding the same 'thruout the depth of the socket into intimate contact with the inner wall of the socket, and a deformable washer encircling the shank portion and engageable by the head of the lag screw for seahn said openin when the lag screw is threa ed-into the ca 1e. v

JULES Le SOTTIAUX. 

